A “virtual” Venice Biennale to go on show in Moscow

Video footage of pavilion and Arsenale exhibitions on display at the Garage

By Cristina Ruiz | From Art Basel daily edition, 9 Jun 09
Published online 9 Jun 09

Dasha Zhukova, the founder of the Garage Centre for Contemporary Culture in Moscow and partner of billionaire Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, has told The Art Newspaper that video footage of the national pavilions in the Giardini and the displays in the Arsenale will be shown on large screens in the gallery for one month from 15 June. The footage also contains artist interviews as well as a commentary by Russian artist Gosha Ostretsov. “A lot of people haven’t been able to travel to Venice this year because of the financial situation,” she said. So Ms Zhukova sent a team to the biennale to film the displays and bring the show back to Moscow.

Speaking in Venice last Friday, she also revealed plans for a large exhibition of contemporary Russian art to be held at the Garage later this year. It will go on an international tour. A venue has already been found in Paris, although she declined to identify it. Talks are also underway to send the exhibition to “Berlin, London, New York and Los Angeles”.